Despite playing a social media-crazed young adult in Showmax’s ‘Under the Influence’, Iremide Adeoye does not nurse an attachment to social media. “My friends and family know I won’t be there if I don’t have to,” he tells me.
Adeoye is the star of Wande Thomas’ latest project, ‘Under the Influence.’. Thomas recently directed ‘Smart Money Woman 2’. This time, he partners with a dynamic writing team that includes Isoken Ogiemwonyi, Nengi Diri, Mannie Oiseomaye, and Nicole Chikwe.
‘Under the Influence’ stars Adeoye as Dami, a university graduate who joins his brother, Ayo—played by Bobby Ekpe—in Lagos. Settling into his life in a bustling city and wrestling with his brother’s expectations, Dami goes on a raw rant on social media. Soon after, his phone is lined up with likes and comments; thus begins his internet fame, which triggers a whirlwind of events that put his family ties and values to the test.
Relatability was what drew Iremide Adeoye to this role. The thirst for social media fame is one we are familiar with. The world of influencing can be quite enticing; it comes with its perks and with those perks are dangers lurking within. ‘Under the Influence’ is a commentary on social media. It has something to say about the way social media has warped our perceptions of self. The only escape route Adeoye sees in this crisis is brutal honesty. “You have to be true to your identity because you influence the way people see you,” he asserts.
Audiences’ popular interactions with Adeoye stem from his roles in ‘Wura’, ‘Madam Koi Koi’ and ‘Funmilayo Ransome Kuti’, all roles that propelled him to his current career status. But the character Dami is different from anything he has ever done. “I think I would have felt some way if I had to only experience ‘Under the Influence’ from the sidelines,” he muses. His first time as a show headliner, the role demanded Adeoye deliver long monologues in form of his social media rants.
Dami is a living contrast to Adeoye. In preparing for the role, he told himself, “I don’t want to sound like Iremide, I don’t want to look like Iremide, I don’t want to feel like Iremide.”. Though he admits his answer is somewhat cliched, there was no other method he could utilise in preparing his mind for the role. He also received help from a director with listening ears. Together they broke down scenes, making a formidable tag team.
Dami’s strained relationship with his brother is a highlight of the show. Dami is burdened by Ayo’s millennial POV, which he considers archaic and unimaginative. Ayo is irritated by Dami’s Gen Z-like outlook, which he believes is brash and unmoored. Their push and pull dynamic keep the show interesting.
Contrary to their onscreen relationship, Adeoye says he shares a brotherly relationship with Bobby Ekpe. “I love Bobby so much,” he laughs. “We are very cool,” he adds. He posits that their friendship helped them portray the brothers at war narrative excellently. Beyond the affection he holds for him as a friend, a deep admiration for Ekpe runs through him. “Bobby is a professional. He is particular about his craft, the art and science of it,” he praises his co-star.
During their time on set, they often shared notes on their scenes with each other. These notes were sometimes kept from the crew, who only get to see them when they are in action. Their gelling offscreen relationship is the bedrock of their strained onscreen relationship.
Although Dami’s obsession with social media makes him selfish and self-centred and quite frankly an unlikable character, Adeoye holds space for him. He speaks about him with affection; one can tell the character is close to his heart, not because he gets to play him but he sees him. “I want you to see him, hear him, and get where his frustration is coming from,” he explains.
However stubborn Dami can be, some of his rants are valid. In one of his long rants, he goes on and on about unconventional career paths and the resistance to them from the older generation. Many Nigerian twentysomething year olds can relate to this. Gen Zs are choosing career paths that are quite different from the former generation’s choices. Being a “creative” was not mainstream till now and many older Nigerians don’t understand what it entails. That rant went viral on TikTok and many users felt seen by it. A TikTok user by the name of el_favy001 replied to the post, “We needed this, bro. Thank you so much.”
A trait that Adeoye admires in Dami is his ambitiousness. “I often tell people your dreams can be as wild as you want them to be,” he states. The actor opines that Dami’s dreams played a role in his newly acquired stardom. It is a trait he wants more people to adopt. “Dream wild,” he encourages.
With the show out in the world, Adeoye is a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Yay, the show is out! Will people receive it? So far, the actor has been receiving positive reviews and he credits the relatability of the show—an aspect he is enthralled by—for the glowing reviews.
When asked to describe the show in three words, he replies, “Relatable, witty, amazing.”
